Outboard motor starting device



April 1952 D. A. ARMSTRONG ETAL 2,592,639

OUTBOARD MOTOR STARTING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 6, 1945 w z p nmwW m a 5 Mw W M H April 15 1952 D. A. ARMSTRONG ET AL 2,592,639

OUTBOARD MOTOR STARTING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 6, 1945 Even/$0 Flu/4 fl. flirmsrmwqlfe'limn ff Hume April 15,1952 D. A. ARMSTRONG ET AL 2,592,639

OUTBOARD MOTOR STARTING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 6. 1945 m2 3% J wi Patented Apr. 15, 1952 OUTBOARD MOTOR STARTING DEVICE Daniel A. Armstrong and Herald K. Palmer, Minneapolis, Minn., assignors to Scott-Atwater Manufacturing Company, Minneapolis, Minn.,

a partnership Application September 6, 1345, Serial No. 614,792

9 Claims. 1 This invention relates to a starting device for a motor and While the invention might be applicable to various types of motors, it par-- ticul arl-y is. designed for use inan outboard motor. Outboard motors are now used in large numbers for propelling small boats and it is common to have a starting device which is usually operated by pulling upon a rope or other flexible member.

It is anobject of this invention to provide an easilyoperated, compact and improved structure of startingdevice for an outboard motor.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a starting device for an outboard motor, which motor has a member adapted to be rotated to startsaid motor, said device comprising a rotatable sheave, aflexible member, such as a rope, attached to said sheave and adapted to be wound thereon, said flexible member being arranged to be pulledupon' by the operator for rotating said sheave andsaid member in one direction, a. spring for rotating said sheavein the opposite direction, said spring being disposed largely within said sheave.

It isanother object of the invention to provide a starting device for a motor, said motor having a. member adapted to be rotated to start said motor, a sheave having a peripheral groove therein, a flexible member, such as a rope, attached to said sheave and: adapted to be wound inzsaid groove, said flexible member being arranged to be pulled upon. by the operatorfor rotatingr said sheave and member in one direction. and; acoiled". spring having anouter diameter of smaller dimension than the diameter of the bottom. of said. groove and. disposed inwardly of-"sa-idgroove for. rotating said: sheave in. the opposite direction.

' It; is still another object of the invention toprovide a starting device for a motor,. said motor having a member; adapted to be rotated to start saidxmotor, a sheave-having top and bottom portions. defining aperipheral groove in said sheave, a flexible member secured to said sheave and adapted; to be wound, in said groove, said flexible member being arranged: to be pulled upon by the operator for-rotatingsaid sheaveand" member in one. direction; and a coiled platetorsioni spring arranged; coaX-ially' with said sheave and disposed mostly.- in' avertical direction between the planes of the-outer sides of said portions.

It? is stilliurtheran object of the invention to provide a starting device-for a motor comprising a sheave; a: flexible: member secured to said. sheave andvadaptedto'be. woundthereon and to be pulled uporrzbw the operator for rotating: said sheave in.

2 onedi rection, and a coiled plate spring of spiral form disposed in said sheave for rotating the same in the opposite direction.

It is also an object of the invention to providean outboard motor structure comprising a casing having an aperture extending through the top thereof, a shaft having a portion extending through said aperture and having a threadedpart, a member to be rotated carried on said shait, a second member secured to said shaft, inter-engaging means on said secondmember and easing acting to prevent rotation of said shaft relative tosaid casing, and a nutthreaded on said part for tightening said shaftin said casing,

said inter-engaging means acting to hold said companying drawings inwhich like reference" characters refer to similar parts throughout the several viewsand in which Fig; 1 is a top plan view of the device;

Fig. 2' is a horizontal section taken substan tially on line 2-2' of Fig. 3', as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectiontaken: substantially on line 3'-3 of Fig. 6 as indicated by thearrows;

Fig. 4, is a partial vertical section takensubstantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 6, as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a partial top plan view, some parts being broken away;

Fig. 6 is-a horizontal section taken substantially on line B5 -of Fig. i, as-indicated by thearrows and- Fig; 7 is a horizontalsection taken on line T'-T of Fig. 41, as-ihdicated' by the arrows,

Referring to the drawings, a starting device for an. outboard motor is shown, which motor has a fixed part or casing 2H surrounding thefly-- wheel 21, which casing 29 may comprise the gas tank of the motor. Fly-wheel Tl will as usual be connected to the crank shaft of then-rotor.

'- A casing 23 of general inverted cupshape "is's'e cured to casing 23 by circumferentially spaced screws 24 extending through lugs 230. formed on casing 23. Spring washers 25 are shown disposed under the heads of screws 24 which engage lugs 23a. Screws 24 are threaded into bosses 23a formed in casing 25. Casing 23 is thus rigidly held in stationary position. Casing 23 has a central hub 23b bored to have pass therethrough a reduced threaded end 21a of a shaft or stud 21. Portion 27a has a flat portion Z'Iaa at one side. Said hub 23b is counter-bored at its upper end and a washer 28 surrounds portion 21a, the same seating on the bottom of said counterbore. Washer 28 has a flat side in its opening fitting against flat side 2711a. Washer 28 is considerably smaller in diameter than said counterbore and has a slot or recess 280. formed in one side thereof. A lug 2319b extends from one side of hub 23b into said counter-bore and into slot 28a of washer 28, said lug 2311b being of considerably less width than slot 23a. A nut 29 of comparatively small thickness is threaded on portion 21a and engages washer 28. Washer 28 is of greater thickness than the height of lug 2313b. Shaft 21 is thus rigidly held in casing 23. The upper portion of an opening 2Tb in shaft 2'! is threaded to receive a headed screw 26a which engages the top of and holds in place a small cover plate 26 formed of a resilient plate, the outer edge portion of which is disposed in an annular groove23z' formed in the top of hub 23b. Shaft 21 has an intermediate cylindrical portion on which is journaled the hub 30a of a sheave or pulley 33. Pulley 30 comprises the superposed plates 38?) and 350, having central annular engaging portions connected by the circumferentially spaced rivets 3|. Plate 302) is reversely bent so as to be offset from or spaced from plate 300 at the outer portions of said plates so that the same form a peripheral groove for pulley 3!]. Hub 30a has a downwardly projecting annular portion 30d which extends through a central opening in plates and 300 and is turned over or spun outwardly over plate 300 so that said plates are firmly connected to hub 38a. Shaft 2'! has an annular portion or collar 210 on which hub 39a. rests, and said shaft has a cylindrical portion beneath said collar on which is journaled the hub 32a of a guide means or member 32.. Member 32 comprises a bottom plate 322) and oppositely disposed portions 320, as shown in Figs. 6 and '7, each of said portions 32c having formed therein a grove 32d shown as having substantially parallel sides and being open at its outer end. Member 32 is rotatable on shaft 2? but is restricted in its rotation by a spring washer 33 engaging its underside, which washer is held in place by a retaining ring 34 seated in an annular groove in the lowerend of shaft2l. Pulley or sheave 33 is adapted to be rotated by the operator and for this purpose a flexible member 36 is provided, illustrated as in the form of a rope, which rope preferably has disposed axially therein a metal member 37, such as a braided bronze cable. Rope 36 is secured to pulley 33 in any suitable manner as by having cable 37 formed into an eyelet and connected to plate 332) by any suitable fastening means. Rope 3B is coiled in the groove of pulley 30 in spiral form, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and said rope extends outwardly through the bore in a hub 23c projecting at one side of casing 23. Hub 230 is bored to receive a block 39 which will be made of some yielding or resilient material such as rubber. A-handleor .knob 45 is secured to the slightly from hub 23c.

4 end of rope 36, and while this could be secured in various ways, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated, knob 40 is provided with a central bore 43a adapted to receive a cylindrical plug 42. Plug 42 is divided substantially on a diametral plane but is provided on'said divisions with interfitting ribs and grooves 42a. Cable 31 is disposed between the portions of member 42, which portions are connected by a screw 43. One end of rope 36 may also extend between the parts of plug 42. Cable 31 is formed into an eyelet surrounding screw 43, as shown in Fig. 2, and when the parts of plug 42 are connected together, cable 31 is clamped in sinuous or wavy form between said parts and is thus securely held in plug 42. As stated, plug 42 seats in the bore in knob 45. A spring 45, illustrated as a strip coiled into spiral form, is disposed in pulley 30, one end thereof being reversely bent and riveted to form an eye through which passes a pin 46 which is secured in the top of casing 23 and projects downwardl into said eye, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The inner end of spring is also reversely bent and riveted to form an eye through which passes a pin 41 secured at its lower end in any suitable manner as by welding in the lower portion of hub 39a. A groove or recess is cut or milled laterally in the side of hub 30a, in which pin 41 is disposed, as shown in Fig. 2. It is seen therefore that when rope 36 is pulled outwardly by pulling on knob 40 that pulley 30 will be rotated against the tension of spring 45 and when said knob 40 is released, spring 45 will return pulley 35 to its normal position and will pull knob 40 against block 39, which block projects Block 39 thus forms a bumper. A plate 48 is disposed above spring 45, the same being bored to surround portion 21a of shaft 21 and having its inner portion resting on top of the intermediate portion of shaft 21 on which pulley 30 is journaled. Casing 23 has an annular depending flange 23d, the inner side of which is closely adjacent the edge of plate 48 and said flange acts to form an enclosure for spring 45. The outer wall of casing 23 is disposed quite close to the outer edges of plates 30b and 30c and acts to prevent the outer convolution of rope 36 from leaving the groove in sheave 30.

Secured to the top of fly-wheel 2| is a plate 53 having a cup-shaped annular portion fitting over a central cylindrical projection on fly-wheel 2|. Plate 50 is secured by circumferentially spaced headed screws 5|. Plate 50 has its outer portion ofiset and spaced from the top of flywheel 2l. A cup-shaped annular plate 52 is securd to pleat 55 by the circumferentially spaced rivets 53, plate 52 having a cylindrical portion or wall 52a and an outer flange 52b extending parallel to and of substantially the same diameter as plate 50. Slots 52d extend into the outer portions of flange 52b, as shown in Fig. 6, said slots extending at an acute angle to a line tangent to the edge of flange 52b at the center of said slots. Wall 52a has a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings 52c extending therethrough just below flange 52b. Disposed in each groove 32d of member 32 is a pawl 55. Each of said pawls is apertured at its inner end and a pin 56 secured to pulley 30 by extending through plates 3% and 330 and being riveted thereto has its lower end disposed in the aperture in pawl 55 so that said pawl is pivoted on pin 55. Each pawl 55 has its rear side beveled adjacent its free end. The pawls 55 are disposed so as to be in alinement with the slots or holes 520, the outer ends ase'ageae oflsaidtpatvls being normally disposed 'close to wall .5 2a. Arspringiwasher 358 is shown surmountingrth-e icentral top portion of fly-wheel 2i and theinut 5.9 overlies csaid. washer, said nut bein threaded (on the crank shaft of the: motor and being :disposed partially in a bore :formed in the lower end of shaft 21- inwoperation,*theuparts normally occupy the positionshownxiniFigs. ,1, 2 and 6. When the motor'iis to"betsitarted','the operator grasps knob Mfand-p1i1ls the same outwardly. This pulls on rope 35 unwinding :thesame from pulley 30, and since the :ropeiscattached to said .pullem the same is rotated. J Pulley :or sheave 30 rotates against the tension .ofspring 45. .As sheavellall rotates, pins56 are rotated: and thismoves the inner ends ol. cpawls 155. with :said .pins. As "said pawls move with .saidisheave', they engage one side of grooves: 32d and saidpawls are swung about pins 5:6. This :swingingmovement of pawls 55 causes the .endsthereof to .move outwardly andsaid ends 'aretjprojectedzinto :certain of :the openings 1520, *asshown in 7.; This connects pawls 55 to the WBJIBQG and plate 152 .and thus to fly-wheel I2 I. The engagement of pawls '55 with wall 152a takes place fvery shortly after rotation of sheave begins. The :further rotation :of sheave :thus rotates plate 52 and fly-wheel Zl so that said flywheel lisagiven several revolutions. When sheave 30 first rotates, .member' 32 forming the guide means for pawls 55 is held stationary by the friction of spring washer '33. During this time one side .of grooves 32d acts on pawls 55 and causes the same to move to engaging-position. Pawls 55 swing .andtheir inner ends engage the other sides of grooves 32d and lock so that member 32 then "also rotates against the friction of spring washer 33; When the'operator releases knob 40, spring- 45,: whichhas been wound up or placed under tension causes rotation of sheave '3'!) in the -opposite direction. This rotation of sheave 30 carries pins 56 in the opposite direction" and pawls 55 and member a 32 take the position shown inFig. 6. The pawls 55 are-thusquicklyreleased frommember-52 when the pull ortension on rope 56 Tisreleased. The operator can therefore successively pull upon knob 40 as many times as is necessary to cause the motor to start. Should rope 36 be pulled upon after the motor starts, the sides of openings 52c merely click against the beveled rear ends of pawls 55. Spring is under considerable tension so as to quickly retract pawls 55. The rope is retained by the device since the same is secured to sheave 30 and it is unnecessary to wind the rope about any pulley or sheave. All that the operator has to do is to pull on the knob 40. As stated, when knob 40 is released or allowed to move toward lug 230, it engages block 39 and the latter forms a yielding bumper for the knob. By placing the spring 45 at the central part of the pulley 30 so that it is largely disposed within the plane of the periphery of the pulley, a very compact structure is formed and the height of the device above member 20 is kept quite small. The mechanism is all nicely covered by casing 23 and said casing is formed to harmonize in appearance with the gas tank 20 so that a very good looking design is produced. Cover plate 26 nicely covers the counter-bore in hub 23b and also covers shaft 21. Should anything break or get out of order so that the starter comprising sheave 3i! and rope 35 would not uperate, casing 23 can be removed by removing screws 24. The outer portions of plates and 52 form a pulley and a knotted rope can be engaged about said pulley with theLknot disposed above :onexofcthe .islots 52d. .The knotted rope can the pulledupon .to rotate plate im-and flywheel l'2:ll. tPlates 'dfl' and 52J thercfore form an cmergencypulley by the .means of which the motor can .benstarted. To locateushaft 27 and'cparts thereon .concentric with the crank shatt apin is :disposed through openings 21b and' throug-h an opening in'the topiof the crank shaft.

The *hole' 21b in shaft 21 is thusprovidedso that :a rod can be inserted in said hole and' extend :down-wardly into a hole formed in the :upper end of the crank shaft which is engaged by nut 59. This will locate-shaft 21 concentrically with the crank shaft and with .fly-wheel fl. The structure of the lug 23bb and the recess 2'8ain washer .28 is provided to prevent turning of shaft 2:! while nut 29 is being tightened. The side of recess 28a will engage lug 2311b and prevent rotation ofshaft 21 at such time. Without "some such means as described it would be diflicul tv-to tightenxnut 29 as shaft 2 1 would turn therewith. Lost motion is provided between lug 23bband Washer 28in IGCESSZBw bOth circumferentially and radially to permit some movement of 's'h'aft 2 -1.Jin initially locating the same concentrically with .the crank shaft.

From the above description it will be seen tha't we have provided aisim'p'le, efficient and verycompactistructure of starting device for -an outboard motor. The device can bevery easily and-quickly operated and is very convenient for operation. 5

The parts are verycompactly arranged at' the 'top of the motor. The parts are particularly designed for easyassembly. It will be notedthat pin 45, as stated, can :be placed in position from then'top of the :casing 23 or can be-castin saicl casing as anwinsert. The device has been "amply demonstrated in actual practice by long tests, the same has' been found to be very successful and efficient and-is being commercially made.

It will, of course, betunderstood that various changes may be made" in the formydetailsg arrangement and proportions of the parts, without departing fromthe scope of applicants invention, which generally states, consists :in a device capable of carrying out the objectsabove set forth, in the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A structure including a motor having a crankshaft having in combination, a fly-wheel secured to said crankshaft, a stationary member surrounding said crankshaft, a casing secured to said member above said fly-wheel, a shaft secured in said casing and disposed coaxially with said crankshaft, said shaft having a shoulder thereon, a pulley journaled on said shaft and supported on said shoulder, said pulley having a peripheral groove adapted to receive a cable, a cable Wound on said pulley and secured at one end thereto, adapted to be pulled to rotate said pulley, a spring for turning said shaft and pulley in one direction, said spring being disposed partially in the plane of said pulley whereby a very compact structure is provided and means conmeeting said pulley to said crankshaft when said pulley is rotated by said cable.

2. A structure including an outboard motor equipped with a crankshaft having in combination, a fly-wheel secured to said crankshaft, a gas tank surrounding said fly-wheel, a cup-like casing secured to said gas tank above said fly-wheel, said casing having a central hub with a bore and counterbore therein, a shaft having a threaded portion extending through said bore and into said counterbore, means engaging said shaft and casing to prevent rotation of said shaft, a nut threaded onto said portion of said shaft for tightening said shaft in said casing, said shaft having a shoulder formed thereon, a pulley having a hub journaled 'on said shaft and supported on said shoulder, said pulley having a grooved periphery, a cable wound in said periphery for rotating said pulley in one direction and a coiled torsion spring supported on said pulley for rotating said pulley in the opposite direction, means connecting said pulley to said fly-wheel and crankshaft when said pulley is rotated by said cable and a cover plate for said counterbore secured to said shaft.

7 3. The structure set forth in claim 1, said spring comprising a spiral resilient plate, said casing having an annular flange surrounding said spring and within said peripheral groove, said pulley comprising a pair of superposed annular plates in engagement and connected at their inner portions and spaced adjacent their peripheries, the upper 'of-said plates at its outer portion being in a plane substantially above the bottom of said flange.

4. The structure set forth in claim 1, said last mentioned means comprising a pawl carrying plate carried on said shaft.

5. The structure set forth in claim 1, said spring comprising a spirally wound resilient plate and a plate supported on said shaft overlying said spring, said casing having a depending annular flange adjacent and surrounding said spring.

6. The structure set forth in claim 2, said means comprising a flat portion on said shaft, a washer on said shaft having a bore with a straight side engaging said fiat side, said washer having a recess in its periphery and a lug on said casing disposed in said recess.

7 The structure set forth in claim2, said casing having a central upwardly projecting annular flange at its top having a bore and a shallow counterbore therein, a circular semi-spherical plate having its peripheral portion disposed in said counterbore, and a headed screw extending centrally through said plate into said shaft for holding said plate in place.

8. A structure including a crank shaft having in combination, a fly wheel secured to said crank shaft, a stationary member surrounding said crank shaft, a casing secured to said member above said fly wheel, a shaft secured in said casing and disposed coaxially with said crank shaft, said shaft having a bore in the lower end thereof, a pair of plates secured to said fly wheel having outer vertically spaced horizontal portions, one of said plates having a cylindrical portion between said portions whereby said plates form a pulley, said plates having openings at their central portions and a nut secured to the top of said crank shaft projecting through saidopen ings and disposed in said counterbore.

9. A structure including a crank shaft having in combination, a flywheel secured to said crank shaft, a stationary member surrounding said crank shaft,'a casing secured to said, member above said fly Wheel, a shaft'secured in said casing and disposed coaxially with said crankshaft, said shaft having a shoulder thereon, a pulley having a hub journalled on said shaft and. supported on said shoulder, said hub havingan'annular groove in its periphery, said pulley being formed on-superposed plates spaced at outer portions, the inner portions of said plates being disposed in said annular groove.

DANIEL A. ARMSTRONG; HERALD K. PALMER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Kincannon Feb. 1, 1949 

